Unlicensed firm got N2.6bn INEC job

The company that got a Federal Government contract for the printing of permanent voter cards has not been licensed by printers' regulatory body, the Chartered Institute of Professional Printers of Nigeria has said.On Wednesday, the Federal Executive Council announced award of the N2.6 billion contract to ACT Technologies Limited to print the cards within seven months.But the printer's institute CIPPON yesterday issued a statement saying the contract award was flawed because the company lacked recognition by the body, contrary to the provisions of the law.President of the institute, Alhaji Wahab Muhammed Lawal, said the contract award to ACT contravened Printers Act 24 of 2007 which specifies that any company willing to do printing business in Nigeria must be a bona fide member of CIPPON.Lawal said because the company has not been licensed by the institute, it was likely to print the voter cards abroad. He said this will defeat the objective of job creation programme of the Federal government.Lawal said the institute has licensed security printing houses in the country, including the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc, Academy Press Plc, Super Flux International Limited, Tripple Gee and Company Plc and others that could execute printing of permanent voter cards.'The Institute appreciates the Federal government for listening to the institute's professional advice and taking bold step to create employment through printing by patronage.'The government is advised to always contact the institute on matters pertaining to printing contract for better advice as also provided for by the act that established the institute,' he said.'INEC went through due process'But the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday insisted that the voter cards contract followed the due process of law.Kayode Idowu, spokesman for INEC chairman Attahiru Jega, told Daily Trust: 'I am not sure whether or not registration of the company with CIPPON was a precondition for award of the contract, but all I can tell you is that due process was followed both at the level of INEC and the Due Process office in the Presidency.'He added 'INEC looks at what is best for the country; you don't just look at such issues raised at the expense of what is best for the country.'The award of contract for the printing of the permanent voters' card was thorough; due process was followed and what INEC wants is to get the best.
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